The Middle East is being transformed before our eyes—dictators in Egypt and Tunisia have fallen, and Gadhafi’s regime in Libya could be next. But what happens after tyrants are forced from power? How will the economic and political needs of these people be met? Free markets, representative government, and the rule of law are not inevitable—they are the product of time and effort. That’s why the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) is so important.

An affiliate of the U.S. Chamber and a core institute of the National Endowment for Democracy, CIPE’s mission is to strengthen democracy around the globe through private enterprise and market-oriented reform. To accomplish this, CIPE works with business leaders, policymakers, and journalists to build the civic institutions vital to a democratic society. Given recent events in Egypt and Tunisia, there is much work to be done.

CIPE is actively engaged in Egypt through local partnerships and a Cairo-based representative office. Since 1993, CIPE has worked to encourage private-sector participation in the democratic process through voluntary business associations, enhance transparency and accountability through corporate governance and anti-corruption initiatives, and enable grassroots opportunities for entrepreneurship. Following the resignation of President Mubarak, these groups are poised to help the private sector play an active role in the reform process.

Democratic reform and the development of a vibrant private sector—one free of cronyism—are essential if the Egyptian people are to realize their aspirations. CIPE is well placed to address both of these needs. In the coming days, it will organize and train private sector representatives to aid in shaping Egypt’s new institutions and policies, work with new and existing political parties to develop economic platforms that will be responsive to constituent needs, and advance the fight against corruption through real institutional reform.

In Tunisia, long-term stability and successful democracy depend on the ability of the private sector to create jobs, grow companies, attract investment, and spur development beyond the capital city. To do this, CIPE will employ many of the same tactics that are being used in Egypt. By impressing on both the public and policymakers the importance of an independent business community, CIPE can lay the groundwork for reforms that will help the Tunisian people.

There’s also an upshot for American businesses when CIPE helps foreign institutions develop. As free market economies flourish abroad, trading opportunities expand here at home. Not only does this create jobs for Americans, but it also helps build relationships that can maintain peace. To learn more, visit www.cipe.org.